New Year's Eve in Laguna Beach

City rules that apply on December 31

The city’s rules do not change for New Year’s Eve, and several of them matter on that night.

Fireworks. The city’s fire code, in Municipal Code section 15.01.055, prohibits the storage, use, sale, possession and handling of all fireworks, including the type sold as “Safe and Sane.” The only exception is a public display that the fire code official permits and a licensed pyrotechnic operator runs. The city lists its police and fire non-emergency line as (949) 497-0701. To get city-wide alerts by text, the city says to text 92651 to 888-777. The emergency alerts guide explains the city’s alert systems.

Beaches. Beaches north of Aliso Creek close from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., so a midnight walk ends at 1 a.m. South of Aliso Creek, beaches close from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and Thousand Steps Beach closes from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Alcohol is not allowed on city beaches, even for guests 21 and older. Smoking is not allowed, and fires are prohibited on all city beaches. The beach rules guide covers dogs, canopies and the rest.

Balloons and plastic. The city prohibits balloons on any public area, including streets, parks and beaches, and it prohibits releasing a balloon into the air. It also prohibits single-use plastic on city beaches, parks and trails, which includes disposable food service ware.

Trolley, parking and getting home

The city’s transit holiday table lists trolley and Laguna Local service from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and no service on New Year’s Day. The table adds that hours may change during special events and prints no year, so check the city’s trolley page before you rely on it. The service ends well before midnight, so plan a different way home from a late dinner. The getting around guide explains the routes and the on-demand service.

The city’s parking page gives enforcement hours of 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and lists no holiday exception. The parking guide lists the public lots.

City offices and trash

The city’s 2026 calendar lists December 28 to 31 as a holiday closure and marks it tentative. That calendar covers 2026 only, so New Year’s Day closures were not posted when this page was reviewed. For trash, the city’s holiday table lists no pickup on New Year’s Day and a one-day delay for the rest of that week. The table prints no year, so check the city’s holiday schedule that week. The city’s recycling page, which also gives no year, says CR&R collects holiday greenery over a three-week period between December 26 and January 16.

Dinners and parties that restaurants have posted

Restaurants and hotels post their New Year’s Eve plans on their own sites, and some post later than others. As of October 28, 2026, The Ranch had posted a dated 2026 New Year’s Eve dinner.

• Harvest at The Ranch at Laguna Beach, 31106 Coast Highway. The Ranch lists a New Year’s Eve menu at Harvest on December 31, 2026, from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and says Harvest Bar stays open until 12:30 a.m. Its page says reservations open on November 1. The Ranch’s New Year’s Eve page has the details.

Other restaurants and hotels post their own plans, some closer to the date. The Eat & drink section lists restaurants by area, and the Stay section lists lodging.

Events around the date

The Chamber of Commerce’s December calendar lists nothing after December 27, when the Laguna Playhouse’s Aladdin & Yasmin’s Winter Wish ends. For the weeks before, see Christmas in Laguna Beach and Hospitality Night. The January guide covers the first weeks of the new year.